Bayer Cancels Taiwanese Project, Turns To US

German chemical and pharmaceuticals group Bayer has decided to cancel aproject first proposed five years ago to build a plant in Taiwan worth NT$50 billion ($1.53 billion) and plans to move its investment to Baytown, Texas, USA, instead.

Bayer initially planned to build a chemical plant at Taichung harbour in central Taiwan, but the plan encountered objections from local residents, politicians and environmentalists. John Chen, deputy general manager of Bayer Taiwan, said that the company had spent more than $10 million on an environmental impact assessment, which it passed.

Govt Fails To Set Clear Rules Nevertheless, the magistrate-general of central Tai-Chung county, Liao Yung-lai, claimed that a plebiscite had to be held on the planned project. In a statement, Bayer noted that despite the fact that all applicable contracts and the environmental impact assessment had been finalized, "the Taiwan Provincial Parliament has chosen not to review the project....or set a clear time frame for the finalization of the approval process."